Improved apparatus for the manufacture of pig-blooms



dltiird time @anni djliirr.

'rHoMAs s; LAiR', or Pl'r'rssune, PENNSYLVANIA.

Lette/rs P atent No. 91,901, dated June 29, 1869.

IMPROVE!) APPARATUS THE MANU'PACTURE OP PIG-BLOOMS.

The chcdul referred to in these Letters Patent and making part ofthe same.

To all whom tt may concern..-

Be it known that l, THOMAS S. BLAIR, of the city of Pittsburg, inthe county of IAllegheny, and State of Pennsylvania, have Yinvented a new and useful improved Apparatus for the Manufacture of Pig-Blooms;

and Ildohereby'declare the following to befa full,

clear, and exact description thereof.'

- Myf invention consists in improved apparatus for- 4United States, dated November 17, 1868, rranted to Francis Ellershausen, Augustus 'E. Stayner, and Adolph Guzman. Y

,1n mixing the molten cast-iron with the pulverized iron ore, or other material used for making the conglomerate', as described in the patent referred-to, it is very important that the pulverizcd iron ore and melted castiron should l.be' mixed 'by pouring them simultaneously iii separate streams, which unite so as to form the conglomerate, whether in a mould or on any suitable receiving-surface.

The method particularly'r described isl the use 0f an ingot-mould, into which the-streams. of molten iron vand pulvelized ore are vpoured simultaneously' and stirred, their union immediately chilling the iron, and forming the solid substance called conglomerate.

For this reason it is practically impossible to produce any good result by trying to mix the oxide by pouring and stirring it into a receptacle previously filled with molten iron, because the contact of the iron ore or oxide immediately congeals and stili'ens the iron, preventing the stirring, and resulting iu a union of only a slight amount ofthe molten iron on Ythe surface with the oxide.

The mode'of poux'ing together the molten irgand oxides in simultaneous streamsas described in. the Ellersllausen patent referred to, eiectually accomplishes the desired result, but requires too much manual labor, and cannot be so conveniently operated, on a largescale, as the apparatus l have invented for the purpose, and which l will proceed to describe, refer ence being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specitication, in which Figure l is a perspective re, )resentation of my apparatus. Y Y

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the revolving table shown in fig. 3.

'Figure 3 is a perspective representation, showing the apparatus in operation, and dispensing with the use ofa receiverl intermediate between regulators and the blast-furnace.

In the vseveral ligures,1like letters denote the same. parts.

The apparatus consists ot three principal parts: First, a revolving-table, with or without partitions, on which the molten `iron and pulveri'zed ore are mixed to form the pig-bloom or pig-scrap.

Second, a spout for delivering the powdered ore or oxide lin a steady, thin stream on the` revolving-table. Thil-d, a regulator for pouring a steady stream of molten iron on the revolving-table simultaneously with the ore oroxidc. j

The revolving-table consists of an annular horizontal plate, a, which is made ofiron, and may be of any convenient size, -(say fourteen feet diameter, more jo'r less,) made, ifneed be, in piecesbolted together.

This plate is supported on friction-rollers l), (see lig.

2,) set in blocks j; in a circle vunder the horizontal plate, the rollers working in a groove in lthe under' side of the platea..

To the outer edge of the plate a are attached segmental pieces h, having cog-teeth, forming a continuous circular toothed rack, around the under side ot' the plate a. Into` this gears a cog-wheel or pinion, c,g. 2, by which the annular table is caused to revolve on the 'ictionu'oliers, motion being communicated to the cog-wheel from the steam-engine, or other prime motor, and so arranged that it can be stopped and started at pleasure.

Thel annular table is formed into a trough by means of inner side-pieces d, on the inner side, which are bolted to each other, and to the bottom plate a, and outer side-pieces-e, which are not bolted to the table, but set ina groove near the edge of the annular table a, and united together at top `by means of lugs t, projecting from the side-pieces and keys It, placed -in the lugs, so'that, when it is desired to remove the conglomerate from the trough or mould formed by the annular table, the keys are struclrout from the lugs, when the vouter side-pieces c are easily removed.

Loose partitions l, being rectangular plates of iron, are set radially'on the annular table, between the inner and outer side-pieces d and e, at regular intervals, thus dividing the troughof the table into a' number of;

cavities ot' uniform shape, in which the pig-bloom may be formed. -A,block, or' pillar, ra, is placed within the annular table, near to the annular trough. This block lml supports a spider, a, consisting of three branches, to any one or more of which is attached a regulator, consisting of an iron box, p, with a spout, q, the width of the spout being about equal to the width of the trough in the annular table, and of the Vrequired width of the stream of melted metal.

The block m and spider a are so arranged, relatively to the trough, as `that any one' of the three regulators may be turned, so that its' spout q shall deliver` the stream oi' melted met-al into the trough of the yannular table as it revolves.v a

1n order toregulatepwith accuracy the flow of metal I propose to use also a reservoir, r, (see tig. 1,) into which the molten metal is first poured from .the blastfurnace or cupola, and then, by raising the bearings s s oi' the reservoir, by means ot' hydraulic pressure or otherwise, and tilting it, the metal isrunout into the regulatorp, thence, through its spout q, into the trough of the annular fable.

' If preferred, the use ot' the reservoir may be dispensed with, andthe melted metal run immediately from the furnace tinto the regulator p, as shown in fi 3.

gAt any convenient point near to the revolving-table is placed a box, u, for pulver-ized ore, which may be kept filled, as required, by means of an elevator, c, of

any convenient construction, or otherwise.

A spout, w, conducts the pulverized ore into the trough o f the annular table from the ore-box a, when- 'ever the gate x is raised by the workman, the amount of ore delivered being regulated by a workman, by

raising the gate x more or less. v

The -mouth of the ore-spout w is placed over the trough of the revolving-table, near to the mouth vof the metal spout q, but not touching, so that the streams of ore and metal, simultaneously pouring into thel trough, may be intimately commingled, or placed -a little further apart, so that one may immediately overlie the other. f The apparatus being thus constructed, its operation is very simple. rIhe inner sides of the trough, formed by the bottom and side-plates of the table, and the partition-plates, are all daubed in the usual manner. As the metal is poured, in a thin, broad stream, into the annular trough, it is immediately covered by athin, broad stream of ore, and so on continuously. As the table revolves, the ore is sandwiched between layers of melted metal`; and this process is continued until the trough-is full. l

As-the metal congeals immediately on contact with the ore, a solid mass ot' conglomerate is formed, and almost immediately after the trough is full the outerside-pieces e are removed by striking away the keys k from the lugs i, and, the partitions l being then loose, the masses of pig-bloom may be immediately removed,

and the trough of the revolving-table emptied for a repetition of the process. v

If it is desired to form pig-scrap instead of pigbloom, a revolving table may be used, without partitions or sides, and the melted iron be'poured on the ore deposited upon the table. My apparatus is, however, especially adapted to the manufacture of pigbloom.

verized ore, so as to form pig-bloom orpig-scrap in` the manner knownas the Ellersliausen process; but

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The moving-table, with or without partitions and side-pieces, in combination with a spout for delivering the molten metal,y and a spout for delivering the pulverized oxide or oxides simultaneously .upon the surface, or into the trough of the moving table, for the manufacture of pig-bloom or pig-scrap, substantially as described.

2. A circular table, having removable outer pieces or curb, and partitions, constructed substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of thegmoving table with one or more regulators p, for receiving and delivering the molten iron on the moving table, in a regular and uniform stream, substantially as and for the purpose 'hereinbefore described.

4. In combination with the moving table and regulator or regulators, the reservoir r, for receiving the molten metal from the blast-furnace or cupola, and pouring it into the regulator, so as moreeasily to control its How upon the moving table, substantially as hereinbefore described.

In testimony whereof, I, the said Thomas S. Blair, have hereunto set my hand.

Witnesses: THO. S. BLAIR.

A. S. NICHOLSON, Taos. B. KERR. 

